What would your definition of professional poker player be?

Kanetuck · Jul 4, 2018

So, the term professional I feel is tougher to determine when it is describing poker players than perhaps a sport or a job that requires licensure. I would think professional implies a higher than average skill level, I would think at least top 20 percent. I am not sure if how often someone plays would be factored in. Determining skill level in poker almost has to be combined with being able to earn a living from poker. Because we are dealing with probabilities, the longer period of time someone is showing a profit would to me imply a higher skill level. I am sure I am leaving some other important factors out. At what point would you consider someone a professional poker player?

Ruminate · Jul 4, 2018

If you're paying the majority or more of your bills with poker winnings on a consistent basis you're a professional poker player...and I don't care what game, format or stake level you play. If you can crush your game of choice enough to pay your monthlies, I'm sold.

JAAMEZz · Jul 4, 2018

If your main source of income is poker, then i would say you're a pro. I guess it comes down to how long you can sustain yourself that determines if you're a successful pro.

MikeCarasone · Jul 4, 2018

Poker is paying your way in life. Source of income is from poker would constitute a professional.

Anders1616 · Jul 4, 2018

To be a poker pro, i say you need to have your income from poker, or poker related things.

always2away · Jul 4, 2018

According to tax attorney Matthew Porter:
"Are you a Professional Gambler?Whether or not you are a professional gambler is not a simple determination. It has nothing to do with how much money you won, the size of your jackpots, or how many trips you took to the casino in a year. The IRS uses a facts and circumstances test that looks to whether your gambling activity is pursued full-time, in good faith, with regularity, and is your intended source of livelihood."
So, it looks a little squishy.
I wonder how many have been denied legal deductions as a professional gambler because their IRS agent made poor determinations perhaps due to bias or good, old-fashioned stupidity (which seems to be an all too common problem)

Kanetuck · Jul 4, 2018

Similar thread

When is someone considered a professional poker player is a similar thread I wasn't aware of. For those interested in the topic, there were some good posts on that thread.

Galmedic · Jul 4, 2018

If a business person is someone who is in business and operates on business hours and works to grow their business they may loose or make money but they are still in business.
A poker player is a Professional Poker Player when they are spending full time hours playing it as their business

AlexStar1981 · Jul 4, 2018

A Pro can read not only maps, but also people. His professionalism is complemented by acute intuition. He calmly and steadily achieves this goal.

Peter Jankowski · Jul 4, 2018

Some one who essentially earns their income by playing poker. Not 100% of earnings from poker, but at least 75%.

Ninja Jyraia · Jul 5, 2018

The Player that gain 5k montly is a PRO poker player I think.

Top Top · Jul 5, 2018

A Professional Poker Player is someone who is ensuring all his life income from playing poker

Andrei Korolev · Jul 5, 2018

More often get into the prizes and the final table...

Litosfrank17 · Jul 5, 2018

for me a professional in poker has a high profit to pay, buy, it's a job but as you realize in other jobs you do not invest you only pay for your time, in poker there will always be investment for future profits and there the result of professionalism

infonazar · Jul 5, 2018

Everything is very simple.
In my opinion, a professional poker player is one who gets regular profit from the game.

Yoda_Priest_X_Napo · Jul 5, 2018

Making a living from Poker no matter if your income is below basic salary or thousands of dollars, that would mean that you are a professional Poker player.

phantomjiujitsu · Jul 5, 2018

If you're paying bills with your poker winnings, you are a professional.

neptun1914 · Jul 6, 2018

If you play poker full time and earn your money for living this way you are professional poker player.

valanddon · Jul 6, 2018

A professional poker player makes their living on
their winnings. They are well known to the public,
and play the major tournaments.

antonis32123 · Jul 6, 2018

To dedicate countless hours to poker , to know the math behind poker , the strategies , to have a very carefully organised plan of what games he's gonna play and what limits . To be able to spot the weak players live or online , to be a good bluffer and not to have poker tells (or give wrong tells to the opponents) , ofcourse to be able to live from his poker earnings or at least to pay some of his life expenses .

romych007 · Jul 6, 2018

Professional players tend to have stable, high income. The professionalism of such players starts from choosing a right tables to 100% using of all the accumulated experience.

hugh blair · Jul 6, 2018

Kanetuck said:
So, the term professional I feel is tougher to determine when it is describing poker players than perhaps a sport or a job that requires licensure. I would think professional implies a higher than average skill level, I would think at least top 20 percent. I am not sure if how often someone plays would be factored in. Determining skill level in poker almost has to be combined with being able to earn a living from poker. Because we are dealing with probabilities, the longer period of time someone is showing a profit would to me imply a higher skill level. I am sure I am leaving some other important factors out. At what point would you consider someone a professional poker player?

Somebody who could afford to do this would be a pro in my opinion.

danielcai · Jul 6, 2018

Being a poker pro means you make a living by playing poker. You earn money by playing poker and pay the bills with the money you earn from poker.

Galmedic · Aug 13, 2018

My definition is a person who plays poker full time

MikeCarasone · Aug 13, 2018

If you pay you way in life through means generated thru mainly poker then you are considered a professional in my opinion.

What would your definition of professional poker player be?

Kanetuck

Legend

Ruminate

Enthusiast

JAAMEZz

Visionary

MikeCarasone

Legend

Anders1616

Legend

always2away

Rock Star

Kanetuck

Legend

Galmedic

Visionary

AlexStar1981

Rock Star

Peter Jankowski

Rock Star

Ninja Jyraia

Enthusiast

Top Top

Rock Star

Andrei Korolev

Legend

Litosfrank17

Rock Star

infonazar

Legend

Yoda_Priest_X_Napo

Enthusiast

phantomjiujitsu

Rock Star

neptun1914

Legend

valanddon

Legend

antonis32123

Legend

romych007

Visionary

hugh blair

Legend

danielcai

Rock Star

Galmedic

Visionary

MikeCarasone

Legend

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